Chapter 20 #3
Hours blurred together after that. The room filled with muttered curses, scattered parts, clinking metal, and occasional triumphant noises whenever one of us solved something.
Eventually, we both stepped back from our projects at nearly the same time. Olivia immediately abandoned hers and hurried around the table toward mine.
“Whoa,” she breathed, crouching slightly. “What’s this?”
“It’s a rune finder,” I explained.
Her forehead wrinkled immediately.
“Without the magic installed yet,” I added, picking up the monocle-like device and pointing toward the lens.
“It detects hidden rune placements.”
Recognition slowly dawned across her face.
“People hide magical traps everywhere. Defensive barriers. Trigger runes. This lets you identify what kind they are before you accidentally activate one.”
Her eyes widened with genuine interest.
“That’s actually really cool.”
I glanced toward her table, seeing a strange little mechanical creature sitting there on four metal legs.
“What about yours?” Curiosity got the best of me, so I went over to her table to check it out.
She followed quickly, her hand proudly smoothing over the metal shell.
“It’s like a companion bot.” Her grin spread wider. “One that would detect hostile intent once that magic is infused with it.”
I crouched beside it while she practically vibrated beside me with excitement.
“I call it the Effy.” I blinked once. “Effy, the enemy finder.”
I stared at the mechanical dog again. Seeing the adjustable military-grade lenses she’d used for eyes. The articulated joints. The rotating ears that were clearly designed as directional sensors.
Honestly? It was clever as hell.
Standing up, I nodded and turned to her. Her eyes trained on me as she bit her lip, nervously waiting for my reaction.
And all I could think was that of course she built something designed to protect people.
“I mean…” She rubbed the back of her neck, glancing between me and the little mechanical dog like she already regretted showing it to me. “I don’t even know if something like this would work. I just kept building and…” she gestured helplessly toward it “…this happened.”
When I stayed quiet, she immediately filled the silence. Words started tumbling over each other faster and faster.
“It’s probably dumb, honestly. Just some random idea. Something to keep the fingers busy.” She laughed nervously, though her fingers were already absently curling around a screwdriver. “The parts are probably worth more than the actual thing anyway.”
Before I could answer, she grabbed the little machine and flipped it over onto her lap, already moving to unscrew one of the side panels.
“No.” The word came out sharper than I intended.
When her hands froze, I reached over and took the dog from her before she could dismantle it further.
“It’s not dumb.”
Her eyes flicked up to mine quickly.
I turned the machine over in my hands, studying the craftsmanship more carefully now that she wasn’t trying to destroy it.
“I actually like it.” That cautious uncertainty on her face cracked slightly.
“I’ll figure out the rune side,” I added, tapping one of the lenses thoughtfully. “I’m good at designing new runes.”
The transformation in her expression hit me square in the chest. Hope bloomed across her face so openly it almost hurt to look at.
Her mouth parted just slightly while those eyes lit up like I’d handed her the world instead of basic praise.
And suddenly all I could hear was her pulse.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
My gaze dropped toward her throat, tracking the rhythm beneath her skin. Every beat made something hungry inside me stir awake again.
Blood. I need blood. No. I need distance. Air. Space. Anything except standing this close to her while she looked at me like that.
I cleared my throat and looked down at my watch like I’d just remembered something important.
“Oh shit.” She blinked, looking at my watch like it would tell her something. “I’ve got a meeting soon.”
The lie came too easily, and I stepped back before my body betrayed me any further.
“Let me take you home.”
Her lips parted again, but this time disappointment softened the edges instead of excitement. Her gaze drifted toward the piles of half-finished parts scattered across the table.
I forced myself to smile casually.
“You can come back later.” Her attention snapped back to me immediately at that.
“But right now,” I added lightly, “I’m betting you’re hungry.”
Right on cue, her stomach growled loudly enough for both of us to hear. Her entire body jerked in embarrassment.
Wide eyes darted away from mine while heat rushed into her cheeks so fast I had to physically stop myself from grinning.
Cute. Way too fucking cute.
“Come on,” I said, turning before I stared too long. “Before Rack throws a fit because you missed dinner.”
That earned a small laugh from her as she hurried after me. The walk back to the elevator was strangely quiet.
Not uncomfortable. Just… full. Both of us were lost in thought as the steel doors slid shut, sealing us into the small space together.
She rocked on her heels before finally glancing up at me.
“And what about you?”
I shoved my hands into my pockets to keep from reaching for her again. “I’ve got more work to do at home.” Giving her the easiest smile I could manage, I tried to come up with an excuse. “I’ll probably grab a blood bag and hide in my lab for the rest of the night.”
She nodded absently. That little smile she’d been wearing all afternoon faded slowly at the edges, and something in my chest tightened painfully in response.
I closed my eyes for half a second.
Don’t react to that. You don’t get to react to that. Focus on what you can do.
Manshu. The fae-magicked gun. Vengeance for her death.
I didn’t have time to wallow in my own misery. Not now. Not when Olivia’s life had already nearly been stolen once.
I needed answers. Needed to understand how that magic worked. Needed to find a way to destroy it before it destroyed someone I cared about.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Olivia absently stare at the elevator numbers ticking upward, and all I could think about was how badly I wanted to build a world where she never had to look over her shoulder again.
A world where she could invent ridiculous little robot dogs and laugh and exist without fear clawing at her heels.
That was something I could give her. Safety. Stability. Protection.
The rest belonged to Rack, and realizing that felt like someone quietly splitting my ribs open from the inside.